Department Requirements for Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in History - 39 Semester Hours
Mission
The study of the past at TSU espouses a mission that is distinctive to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. That mission has been to encourage every student who enters the university to understand that obstacles on the path to success are to be overcome. Grounded in this tradition, the History Department at TSU provides classes, speakers, and research opportunities that encourage students to explore groups whose struggles and celebrations center upon the issues of race, class, gender, and sexual orientation on local, national, and global levels. Given the nature of the institution, the constituents it has served, and the purpose of the program as described above, history is essential to the mission of Tennessee State University.
Program Goals
The major in History is designed to familiarize students with important events, developments, and themes of the human past while also training them in the skills of history as an intellectual discipline. While students are welcome to focus their studies regionally or topically, the curriculum and degree requirements reflect the goal of providing students with a broad understanding of their field at the local, national, and international levels.
Student Learning Outcomes
1. Historical Content Knowledge: Students will be able to identify and describe major topics, themes, and developments in U.S. and world history.
2. Methods: Students will be able to discuss and apply theoretical concepts such as periodization, cause and effect, historical context, and historiography.
3. Original Research and Historical Analysis: Students will be able to synthesize first-hand documents and existing scholarly literature to produce an original research paper.
Other Requirements:
For the BA track, at least six hours in a single foreign language; French or Spanish through the intermediate level (2010, 2020)
For the BS track, foreign language hours are not required but students must take an additional six upper-division elective hours in Public History or social, mathematical, or natural sciences.
Upper-level Admission
For admission to the upper-level program of the History major, students must complete all of the requirements listed above under General Education Core and Other Requirements. In addition, they must have removed all high school deficiencies, passed all required developmental courses, and earned a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on college-level coursework. Students must also have earned minimum grades of C in the required 6 hours of 2000-level history.
Major Core
The requirements for a BA in History include two classes HIST at the 2000 level, (6 hours); two 3000 or 4000-level United States history courses (6 hours); at least two classes at the 3000 or 4000 level in non-U.S. history (6 hours); HIST 3500, History Workshop (3 hours); HIST 4000 History Seminar (3 hours); HIST 4500, Senior Project (3 hours); and 6 additional upper-level hours in History. All History courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. The requirements for a BS in History include two classes in HIST at the 2000 level, (6 hours); two 3000 or 4000-level United States history courses (6 hours); at least two classes at the 3000 or 4000 level in non-U.S. history (6 hours); HIST 3500, History Workshop (3 hours); HIST 4000 History Seminar (3 hours); HIST 4500, Senior Project (3 hours); 6 additional upper-level hours in History, and 6 additional upper-division hours in Public History or in the social, mathematical, or natural sciences. All History courses must be completed with a grade of C or better.
Minor Requirements: A minimum of 18 semester hours in History, including HIST 2010 and 2020.
